Lay motion for looms



Aug. 7, 1945. R. J. BARTHOLOMEW 2,381,028

LAY MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed June 2, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 7, 5 a R. J. BARTHOLOMEW 2,381,028

DAY MOTION FOR LOOMS Fil ed June-2, 1554s 5 Sheets-Sheet 2\ 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 2, 1945 llvnlrllllll Aug. 7, 1945.

R. J. BARTHOLOMEW 2,381,028

LAY MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed June 2,1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Aug. 7, 1945 LAY MOTION FOR LOOMS Robert J. Bartholomew, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Fletcher Works, Incorporated, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 2, 1943, Serial No. 489,407

17 Claims.

This invention relates to the lay motions of looms in general; and particularly looms of the so called narrow fabrics" type, On which tapes, strips of webbing, and such textile fabrics are woven.

The principal object of the invention is to effect a material reduction in the throw of the cranks by which the lay of a loom is oscillated or reciprocated, and thereby provide for an increase in the speed of the loom and a consequent increase in the hourly production of the loom.

In weaving textile fabrics, the warp threads of the fabric are divided into two groups, i. e. an upper group and a lower group, and the positions of these groups are intermittently reversed to form open warp sheds for passage of a shuttle adapted to place weft threads in th respective warp sheds successively, between the front edges 1 front edges of the reed blades when the lay attains its extreme forward position.

When the lay is in its extreme backward position, the two groups of warp threads diverge rearwardly from the fell of the fabric and pass through the dents of the reed, at an angle sumciently wide to afford passage 'for' the shuttle through the open warp shed thus formed.

In order to obtain the necessary movement of the lay from its extreme rearward position to its extreme forward position and vice versa, to beatup a weft at the fell, and to provide the necessary space for the shuttle to pass through the open warp shed, it has been necessary heretofore, in narrow fabric looms for example, to provide cranks having a throw of approximately four and one-half inches.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, by use of a novel form of reed and operating mechanism therefor, the throw of the lay-operating" cranks may be reduced to approxi-. mately one and one-quarter inches, with a corresponding reduction being effected in the travel of the lay. I

' The reed of the present invention comprises a plurality of laterally spaced blades, each of which includes a front substantially vertical part and rearwardly spaced back part connected by an intermediate substantially horizontal part.

The invention, furthermore, contemplates the I use of novel means for reciprocatin the reed blades vertically, en masse, in coordination with the oscillations of the lay, whereby, as the lay moves rearwardly the reed blades will be lowered reed blades, and in front of the front vertical 1 to a position to permit the shuttle to pass through the newly formed warp shed, above the upper edges of the horizontal connecting portions of. the

edges of the rear parts of the blades; and whereby, as th lay moves forwardly, the. reed blades will rise behind the weft laid in the warp shed by the shuttle and efiect the beat-up thereof at the fell of the fabric; thus, the travel of the lay is reduced to an extent corresponding to the distance between the front edges of the rear parts of th reed blades, and the front edges of the front and the throw of the cranks which effects oscillation of the lay is reduced accordingly.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of sufficient of a loom to illustrate the principles of the present invention, with the lay shown in the back position for passage of a shuttle through the open warp shed;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, with the lay shown in the forward position, beating up a weft thread at the fell of the fabric;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of the lay as viewed from the plane 3-3, Fig. 1';

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional plan view, as taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 2;

Figs. 5 and 6 are'detached perspective views of various elements of the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3 and illustrating the mechanism of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a sectional plan view taken in the line 99,Fig. B; and

Figs. 10 and 11 are detached perspective views of parts of the mechanism shown in Figs. '7 to 9 inclusive.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the lay beam l is carried by a plurality of rocker arms 2, spaced apart along .the width of the lay beam I: The lay arms 2 are pivoted at 3 on the fram 4 of the loom, near the level of the floor on which the loom is mounted.

Asusual, in narrow fabric looms, the lay beam 1 carries a plurality of shuttle guide blocks 5 which are spaced apart along the width of the lay beam, with a plurality of reed combs interposed between and alternating with the shuttle guide blocks, across the full width of the loom.

In the present instance, the shuttle guide blocks 5, each consist of an upper guideway B and a lower guidewa l, which ar supported by brackets or plates 8 secured to the back face of the lay beam l, and project up above the top face thereof. The upper ends of the brackets 8, 8 are connected by and secured to a top rail 9, in the form of an angle iron in the present instance.

The top rail 9 is also secured to vertical extensions 2a of the rocker arms 2, for rigidity, and in instances where a shutttle guide block may be in line with an intermediate rocker arm 2, the top and bottom guideways 6 and 1 may also be secured to the extension 211 of the rocker arm.

The shuttles ID, as usual, are adapted to reciprocate, or oscillate in cases where arcuate shuttle guides are employed, from one shuttle guide block 5 to the next adjacent shuttle guide block 5 across the intervening reed and warp space, in laying a weft in the open warp shed.

Different types of mechanisms are provided for effecting reciprocation or oscillation of the shuttles. For example, in some instances, fly

shuttles are used and are moved from one to another of the shuttle guide blocks by fingers projecting vertically from a longitudinally reciprocating bar slidably mounted in a groove formed in the top surface of the lay beam. In other instances, such as in the present case, rack shuttles are used and the operating bar is in the form of a gear rack I, with the teeth of the rack meshing with the teeth of gears I2, |2 which are rotatably supported in the lower shuttle guide ways 1, 1 respectively.

The gears |2, |2 are adapted to mesh with rack teeth |3 formed in the lower sides of the shuttles l0, and as the rack bar reciprocates, in timed relation to the oscillations of the lay, by means not herein shown and which form no part of the present invention, the gears 2, l2 are rotated and move the shuttles |0,-|0 in the aforesaid manner, well known in the art.

The lay beam is oscillated by pitmans |5 each of which has one end pivotally connected at I6 through any suitable speed reduction or variable 5 speed mechanism.

As usual, the warp shed .Ais formed by raising and lowering one series of warp thread a| in alternate or other predetermined relation to a second series a2, with one series up and one series down. The warp sheds A are formed and controlled by the usual heddle frames l9, l9, which are operated, in coordination with the reciprocations of the lay beam I, by ordinary mechanism forming no part of the present invention,' for passage of the shuttles ID, for laying a weft b in'each of the open warp sheds A, to be subsequently beat-up at the fell a: of the fabric 1 by reed units 20.

In the present instance, each reed unit 20, be-

tween each pair of shuttle guide blocks, 5, 5, is composed of a series of substantially horizontally offset blades 2|, one of which is shown in perspective in Fig. 6.

Each offset blade 2| is composed of a rear top vertical section 2 la, a front bottom vertical section 2|b, and an intermediate substantially horizontal connecting section 2|c, all formed as integral parts of the whole.

The blades 2|, 2| may be stamped from sheet steel, for example, of any desired gauge, and then causes the front edges of the lower portions 2|b edge-ground or otherwise rendered smooth and free of burrs. If desired, the blades may be polished to afford a minimum of resistance to the .warp threads passing through the dents 22 of the reed as formed by laterally spacing the blades of each unit to the desired extent.

For different classes of work different roed units may be employed, with blades of relatively lighter or heavier gauge metal, and with dents of different widths between the blades.

In the present instance, for the sake of interchangeability, the reed blades 2| alternate with spacer elements 23, 24 and 25 (see Fig, 3) of proper thickness, to form the reed dents 22.

If desired, the reed blades 2|, 2| may be leaded together at their opposite upper and lower ends respectively, in the manner usually followed in the formation of reed units. However, the present construction makes for interchangeability of blades in each unit as Well as interchangeability of units in the loom.

In the present instance, the lower portions 2 lb of the blades 2| of the reed units 20 are connected to a vertically reciprocable operating bar 26, located in front of and extending substantially parallel to the lay beam I; and the upper portions 2|a of the blades 2| of the reed units 20 are vertically slidably mounted, adjacent the plane of the rear face of the lay beam in guide boxes 21, 21 secured to the top rail 9.

The lower portions 2|b of the blades of the reed units 20 are also slidably mounted in guide boxes 28, 28 secured to a face plate 49 rigidly mounted on the front face of the lay beam above the operating bar 26.

The intermediate portions 2| 0 of the blades of the reed units 20, in the present instance, lie above, across. and substantially parallel to the upper surface of the lay beam The lower ends of the blades 2| are connected by a bolt 29, with spacer washers 23 between the blades, and with the heads 30, 30 of eye bolts 3| at each of the opposite sides of each unit 20, whereby the lower ends of the blades may be secured rigidly together to form the unit 20.

The eye bolts 3| pass through elongated slots 32, 32 formed in the operating bar 26, and are secured therein by nuts 33, to secure each unit 20 to said operating bar 26.

The bar 26 is reciprocated vertically by a series of vertical rods 34, slidably mounted in bearings 35, 35 on the several lay arms 2, respectively. Each rod 34 is provided with a collar 36 from which projects a, laterally extending pin 31.

The pins 31 project into elongated slots 38 formed in the outer ends of long arms 39 of bellcrank levers 40, which latter are pivoted at 4| to the lay arms 2 respectively. Short arms 42 of the bell-crank levers 40 are connected by links 43 to the loom frame 4, whereby, as the lay moves back, the reed units 20 will be lowered, for passage of the shuttles l0 laterally across thereed units 20, above the intermediate portions 2|c of the reed blades. As the lay moves forward, each reed unit 20 will be raised to bring the front edges of the lower portions 2|b of the reed blades 2| u thereof behind the weft thread b, which was laid in the open warp shed by the passage of the shuttle l0. Continued forward motion of the lay beam of the reed blades to beat the newly laid weft thread b into the fell of the strip of fabric y, which strip extends forwardly over and around the breast beam 44 of the loom to take-off and take-up rolls, or equivalent mechanisms not shown. and which form 110- part'of the present invention.

The spacer elements. 24 and 25 are provided with ears 45 (see Fig. 5) which bear against the upper and lower edges respectively of the guide boxes 21 and 28, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, to maintain the spacers against longitudinal move ment as the portions 2Ia and 2 lb slide freely between the spacers as the reed units 20 are raised and lowered. I

' With the reed blades raised, as shown in Fig. 2, the thrust of the beat up will be absorbed primarily by the face plate 49 on the front face of the lay beam I, and the guide boxes 28 secured thereto.

However; a portion of the beat-up thrust is taken by the guide blocks or boxes 2! and top rail 9, through the upper portions 2Ia of the blades 2| and the intermediate horizontal portions 2Ic of the blades 2|, as will be clear from Fig. 2.

In the structure shown in Figs. '7 and 10 the back parts IZIa of the reed blades I2I are provided with lower depending parts I2Id, below the horizontal part I 2Ic, opposite and in the plane of the front lower part I2Ib, forming an inverted yoke which spans the top portion of the lay beam IOI;

The lower ends of the depending front and rear parts Hill) and Ifllc, respectively, are connected at I29, I29 to upstanding arms I30, I30 of a yoke member I3I which inversely spans the lower portion of the lay beam I I.

The upper rear parts I2 Ia are slidably mounted tween, and with the guide boxes I28a mounted on rear plates I49a on the rear face of the lay beam IOI.

In. the present instance the front and rear plates I49 and I Mla are spaced apart to the exact thickness of the intervening portion of the lay beam IIJI, by sleeves I50 which surround through bolts I5I by which the guide boxes are accurately maintained in predetermined relation to each other to prevent binding of the blades in the boxes as may occur due toswelling or shrinking of the wooden lay beam IOI under abnormal conditions. V I

In the present instance the yoke brackets I3! are secured to operating bars I26 disposed below the lay beam IOI, intermediate the lay arms I02,

The bars I25 are-each reciprocated vertically by a fan of vertical rods I34, one at each of the opposite ends'of each bar, with said rods sliclably mounted in bearings I35, I35 on several lay arms I02, respectively. Each rod I34 is provided with a collar I36 from which projects a laterally extending pin I31. I

The pins I31 project into elongated slots I30 formed in the outer ends of long arms I39 of bell-crank levers I40, which latter are pivoted at MI to the lay arms I02'respectively. Short arms I42 of the bell-crank levers I40 are connected by links I43 to the loom frame I04, whereby, as the lay moves back, the reed iunits I20 will be lowered, for passage of shuttles IIO laterally IBI of the fabric. 7

across the reed units I20, above the intermediate portions I 2Ic of the reed blades; and, as the lay moves forward, the reed units I20 will be raised to bring the front edges of the 'lowerportions I2Ib of the reed blades I2I behind the weft threads I), which were newly laid in the open warp sheds by said passage of shuttles I III.

Continued forward motion of the lay beam IOI causes the front edges of the lower portions I2 lb of the reed blades to beat the newly laid weft thread b into the fells w of the strips of fabric :11, which strips extend forwardly over and around the breast beam I44 of the loom to the take-off and take-up mechanisms of the loom.

The depending back parts I2Id, together with the upper back parts I2 Ia, sliding in their respective guide boxes I2! and I 28a assist the front parts I 2| b, sliding in their guide boxes I28, in resisting the pounding action of the reed blades I2I in beating the weft threads 17 up at The lower ends of the front blade parts I2Ib, and the lower ends of the rear blade parts IZId, in each instance are secured together, with spacing washers I23 therebetween (see Fig. 9) by the bolts I29, I29 respectively, which also secure said blade ends to the legs I30, I30 of the yoke brackets I3I. I

The bolts I29, I29 are each provided with a head l29a of increased diameter slidably mounted in one of the yoke legs I30 and providing a shoulder I291) by which the assembled blade parts I2 lb and spacing washers I23 are pulled up tightly against the second of the yoke legs I30, to retain each reed unit I20 together as a compactinterchangeable whole.

The yoke brackets I3I are secured to the operating bars I26 by bolts or screws I33 which pass through slots I32,'I32 in bars I28, whereby the blades of each unit I20 may first be rigidly secured together and the brackets I3I then properly aligned with the guide boxes I20, I 2811, to prevent binding of the blades therein, in opera tion.

It will be understood that the detail of the structure may be varied according to the ideas of individual designers without departing from the spirit of the invention; and that only such limitations as may be dictated by the prior art should be applied to the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a loom including a laterally horizontally reciprocable lay beam and a shuttle operable lengthwise thereof to place weft threads in open warp sheds formed of warp threads extending transversely across said beam, a reed comprising vertically reciprocable blades disposed in planes transverse to said beam and spaced apart longitudinally thereof for passage of said warp.

' lengthwise of the lay and adapted to rise on a forward movement of the lay to beat-up said wefts at the fell of a fabric formed of said warps and wefts.

2. In a loom including a laterally horizontally reciprocable lay beam and a shuttle operable lengthwise thereof to place weft threads in open warp sheds formed of warp threads extending transversely across said beam, at reed comprising vertically reciprocable blades disposed in planes transverse to said beam and spaced apart longithe fell a:

tudinally thereof for passage of said warp threads between said blades, forward edges of said blades where the lay is in rearward position being aligned in a plane adjacent the plane of movement of the forward edge of said shuttle below the path of movement of the shuttle lengthwise of the lay and adapted to rise on a forward movement of the lay to beat-up said wefts at the fell of a fabric formed of said warps and wefts, and means for raising and lowering said blades intermediate the weft-placing movements of said shuttle.

3. In a loom including a lay beam and a shuttle operable lengthwise thereof to place weft threads in open warp sheds formed of warp threads extending transversely across said beam, a reed comprising blades disposed in planes transverse to said beam and spaced apart longitudinally thereof for passage of said warp threads between said blades, each blade comprising front and back rigidly united upright parts having forward edges aligned in planes adjacent the planes of movement of the forward and rearward edges respectively of said shuttle.

4. In a loom including a lay beam and a shuttle operable lengthwise thereof to place weft threads in open warp sheds formed of warp threads extending transversely across said beam, a reed comprising blades disposed in planes transverse to said beam and spaced apart longitudinally thereof for passage of said warp threads between said blades, each blade comprising front and back upright parts having forward edges aligned in planes adjacent the planes of movement of the forward and rearward edges respectively of said shuttle, and intermediate parts extending transversely of said beam and integrally connecting said front and back upright parts.

5. In a loom including a. lay beam and a shuttle operable lengthwise thereof to place weft threads in open warp sheds formed of warp threads extending transversely across said beam, a reed comprising blades disposed in planes transverse to said beam and spaced apart longitudinally thereof for passage of said warp threads between said blades, each blade comprising front and back upright parts having forward edges aligned in lanes adjacent the planes of movement of the forward and rearward edges respectively of said shuttle, and intermediate parts extending transversely of said beam and integrally connecting said front and back upright parts with the top edges of said intermediate parts'normally in a plane adjacent the plane of movement of the lower edge of said shuttle.

6. In a loom including a lay beam and a shuttle operable lengthwise thereof to place weft threads in open warp sheds formed of warp threads extending transversely across said beam, a reed comprising blades disposed in planes transverse to said beam and spaced apart longitudinally thereof for passage of said warp threads between said blades, each blade comprising front and back upright parts havin forward edges aligned in planes adjacent the planes of movement of the forward and rearward edges respectively of said shuttle, and intermediate parts extending transversely of said beam and integrally connecting said front and back upright parts with the top edges of said intermediate parts normally in a plane adjacent the plane of movement of the lower edges of said shuttle, and means for raising and lowering said blades intermediate the weftplacing movements of said shuttle,

7. In a loom including a laterally horizontally reciprocable lay beam, a shuttle operable lengthwise thereof to place weft threads in open warp sheds formed of warp threads extending'transversely across said beam,'and means for moving said beam back and forth lengthwise of said warps, a reed comprising vertically reciprocable blades disposed in planes transverse to said beam and spaced apart longitudinally thereof for passage of said warp threads between said blades, forward edges of said blades when the lay is in rearward position being aligned in a plane adjacent the plane of movement of the forward edge of said shuttle below the path of movement of the shuttle lengthwise of the lay and adapted to rise on a forward movement of the lay, and means operable by the back and forth motion of the lay beam for raising and lowering said blades intermediate the weft-placing movement of said shuttle to beat-up said wefts at the fell of a fabric formed of said warp and wefts.

8. In a loom including a lay beam, a shuttle operable lengthwise thereof to place weft threads in open warp sheds formed of warp threads extending transversely across said beam, means for moving said lay beam back and forth lengthwise of said warps, a reed comprising blades disposed in planes transverse to said beam and spaced apart longitudinally thereof for passage of said warp threads between said blades, forward edges of said blades being aligned in a plane adjacent the plane of movement of the forward edge of said shuttle, a bar extending parallel to said beam, means for connecting said blades to said bar, and means operable by the back and forth motion of the lay beam for raising and lowering said bar and said blades in intermediate the weftplacing movements of said shuttle to beat-up said wefts at the fell of a fabric formed of said warps and wefts.

9. In a loom including a lay beam, a shuttle operable lengthwise thereof to place weft threads in open warp sheds formed of warp threads extending crosswise of said beam, 2. reed comprising laterally spaced blades extending transversely of said beam between which said warp threads pass, means for moving said beam back and forth to effect beat-up of said wefts by the forward edges of said blades at the fell of a fabric composed of said warps and wefts, a bar paralleling said beam to which said blades are attached, a bellcrank lever bodily movable back and forth with said beam, means operably connecting one arm of said said bell-crank lever to said bar, and a link operably connecting a second arm of said bell-crank lever to a fixed portion of the loom, whereby said blades will be lowered and raised in coordination with the back and forth movements respectively of said lay beam.

10. In a loom including a. lay beam, a shuttle operable lengthwise of said beam, a reed comprising a series of blades set crosswise of said beam and including rear vertical portions having front edges in a plane adjacent the back edge of the shuttle, front vertical portions having front edges in a plane adjacent the front edge of said shuttle,

substantially horizontal portions integrally connecting said rear and front portions, means for reciprocating said blades vertically, and guide boxes carried by said beam for slidably supporting said rear portions of said blades.

11. In a loom including a lay beam, a shuttle operable lengthwise of said beam, a reed comprising a series of blades set crosswise of said beam and including rear vertical portions having front edges in a plane adjacent the back edge of the shuttle, front vertical portions having front edges in a plane adjacent the front edge of said shuttle, substantially horizontal portions integrally connecting said rear and front portions, means for reciprocating said blades vertically, guide boxes carried by said beam for slidably supporting said front portions of said blades.

12. In a loom including a lay beam, a shuttle operable lengthwise of said beam, a reed comprising a series of blades set crosswise of said beam and including rear vertical portions having front edges'iri a plane adjacent the back edge of the shuttle, front vertical portions having front edges in a plane adjacent the front edge of said shuttle, substantially horizontal portions integrally connecting said rear and front portions, means for reciprocating said blades vertically, guide boxes carried by said beam for slidably supporting said front portions of said blades, and guide boxes carried by said beam for slidably supporting said rear ortions of said blades.

13. In a loom including a lay beam, a shuttle operable lengthwise of said beam, a reed comprising a series of blades set crosswise of said beam and each including a substantially horizontal part above said beam, a vertical front part below said horizontal part in front of said beam, a vertical rear part below said horizontal part behind said beam, a vertical rear part above said horizontal part, means for reciprocating said blades vertically, and guide boxes for slidably supporting said vertical parts respectively.

14. In a loom including a lay beam, a shuttle operable lengthwise of said beam, a reed comprising a series of blades set crosswise of said beam and each including a substantially horizontal part above said beam, a front part depending from said horizontal part in front of said beam,

a rear part depending from said horizontal part behind said beam, a rear part projecting upwardly from said horizontal part, guide boxes slidably supporting said front and rear depending parts, a yoke member under said beam and connecting said depending front and rear parts, and means for vertically reciprocating said yoke member and said blades.

15. A reed comprising a series of ofiset blades each including a substantially horizontal beam crossing portion, a vertical rear portion above said horizontal portion, and a vertical front portion below said horizontal portion, said horizontal portion being of greater width adjacent said rear portion than at said front portion and tapering off from said rear to said front portion.

16. A reed comprising a series of H-shaped offset blades each including a substantially horizontal beam crossing portion, a vertical upper rear portion above said horizontal portion, a vertical front lower portion below said horizontal portion, and a vertical rear lower portion below said horizontal portion said lower portions being spaced apart sufliciently to receive a lay beam of a loom therebetween.

17. A reed comprising a series of H-shaped offset blades each including a substantially horizontal beam crossing portion, a rear vertical up per portion above said horizontal portion, a lower front and a lower rear vertical portion depending from said horizontal portion said lower portions being spaced apart sufficiently to receive a lay beam of a loom therebetween, and means adapted to pass crosswise of and beneath said beam for connecting said front and rear depending portions of all the blades of the series.

' ROBERT J. BARTHOLOMEW. 

